Blue Christmas
by vinewood and dragon heartstring
Summary: It was going to be a blue Christmas for Addison Forbes Montgomery.


Shonda Rhimes owns _Grey's Anatomy_ and its characters. I am **not** Shonda Rhimes. Ergo, I own squat.

* * *

* * *

It was going to be a blue Christmas for Addison Forbes Montgomery.

And not in that crappy, lonely, sappy, touchy-feely way.

In a literal way.

The neo-natal surgeon had purchased a home in suburban Seattle in spring of 2007 and for her first winter holidays spent in the wonderful Frank Lloyd Wright-style modernist house, Addison had chosen blue as the base for her Christmas decoration scheme.

Everything from the tinsel and garlands outside the home to the ribbon and ornaments decorating the six-foot Douglas fir tree in her living room were a lovely shade of cobalt blue. The silver embellishments on said items- and the others around the house- served only to accentuate the flawless decoration.

The only splash of traditional Christmas colors came in the form of seven deep red velvet stockings hanging from the fireplace mantle, a name perfectly stitched in white on each. And at the end of the row of scarlet, a single knit sock in the palest azure stood out, its size indicating it could only belong to an infant.

And thus _there_ was the true reason for Addison's blue Christmas.

The brilliant, beautiful redheaded surgeon was due to give birth to her first child in the days between Christmas and New Year's.

A son.

"Come on."

Addison turned from her spot at the kitchen island to face one of her closest friends.

Nancy Shepherd-Breslin tapped her mother of pearl Cartier watch.

"This is definitely going to be last-minute shopping if you don't hurry up, Addie."

Addison placed her now-empty glass in the sink and walked (waddled, really) into the foyer.

"Where are Max and the kids?" Addison queried, opening the hall closet and retrieving a black wool Armani coat.

Nancy shrugged a shoulder.

"Who knows." She replied. "Lauren wanted to get something for her baby cousin. She is determined that she, Ian and Adam be your baby's favorite cousins so she got Max to take her and the boys out shopping."

Addison let out a giggle.

"Lauren's a sweetheart." She affirmed. "Nancy?"

Nancy slipped on her own Prada coat.

"Hmm?"

"Why are you here?" Addison asked. "It's not that I don't appreciate it, but you should be with Derek. _He's_ your brother, your family. You haven't even seen him since you came to Seattle. He doesn't live in the trailer anymore, you know. And I know he'd love to see Adam, Ian and Lauren."

Nancy reached for Addison's Burberry scarf and draped it around her friend's neck, knotting it expertly and elegantly.

"Derek is my brother. But family, Addie, family is _more_ than just shared genetics. Mark is my family, Savvy and Weiss are my family and you…_you_ are my family most of all." Nancy reached out and placed a hand on the curve of Addison's belly. "And this baby is my nephew. And I love him already. I'll see Derek before I leave. But right now, you need me and this baby needs me. And I'm where I want to be: spending Christmas with my family."

Addison wiped away a tear and managed a watery smile.

"I'd hug you if I could reach."

Nancy laughed and donned her own scarf.

"No crying," she instructed jovially, wiping at Addison's eyes, "we have shopping to do."

* * *

It was hours before Addison and Nancy decided to call it a day. 

The ninety minutes the two spent in a baby clothes shop cooing over teeny, tiny blue elephant-printed socks were not kind to Addison, who had begun suffering from a backache.

Of course no pain was too great when it came to shopping for the two New Yorkers, and they did not leave empty handed. The elephant socks made the cut alongside a handful of colorful onesies and a pair of booties.

The two women shared a smile as they exited the store, bags in tow. Already a thin film of immaculate white blanketed the city, and snowflakes danced magically on their way down.

"This reminds me of the last Christmas you spent as a med student." Nancy said.

Addison nodded.

"I remember. You were an intern at New York-Presbyterian and we were sharing that crappy studio on the West Side."

Nancy laughed.

"One bathroom. And the water usually ran cold."

"It was the first year I had _real_ money. I'd been working at that bookshop in SoHo throughout college and med school and that paid the rent but…I was not popular and I was definitely _NOT_ fashionable. Both of my grandfathers died that year. My dad's father left me a small trust. I didn't want to take it; it was like he was paying me off for staying hidden for all those years, for not being present to remind him that his favorite son conceived a child out of wedlock and was subsequently kicked out of the family.

"I was an embarrassment to the Montgomery family. And to the Forbes'. They told my mother the smartest she ever did was divorcing Dad and leaving us behind to marry that English banker. And she believes it. To this day, Nan, my mother believes that. But I wanted so desperately to fit in. And then I got home and you were sitting on that futon with Savvy, the two of you laughing, and…you were my family. And you deserved better than what we had. We at least deserved a good Christmas. So I took some of that money and we went shopping. The three of us. And you helped me pick out that great watch for my dad. Do you remember?"

Nancy smiled.

"I remember."

"We went to dinner, we bought new clothes, we got new furniture we…found a nicer place. And Christmas Eve we went to pick up my dad so he could join us for the midnight service at St. Patrick's and…he looked like he was sleeping. He was still so warm. Didn't he look asleep, Nancy? But of course he wasn't because no one looks that worried when they sleep. So you think he knew? That I would be alone after he died and that's why he didn't leave peacefully?"

Nancy wrapped an arm around Addison's shoulders and held her tightly.

"I think Cole loved you very much. I think he lived his whole life for you, Addie, that his breath hitched when you were sick or sad, that he felt it all in his heart. And I think he's proud of you now. Let's get you home. You and the baby need rest."

* * *

The first time Derek Shepherd saw his ex-wife in nearly four months she was standing in the center of the ballroom looking spectacular in a low-cut, sleeveless, empire-waist cocktail dress made of the most exquisite sapphire satin. Her fiery hair was straight and loose about her shoulders, and every time the luminosity in the room hit a natural highlight, it appeared as though all her tresses were alight. 

Seattle Grace's Christmas Eve Holiday Gala was in full swing.

Addison was conversing animatedly with Adele Webber and Callie Torres, a hand resting on the crest of her rounded belly. Every few minutes, Addison would look around and spot the head of Plastics and smile shyly at him.

Derek downed the last bit of scotch in his tumbler and steadied himself for the upcoming conversation. As he was about to take a step forward, he felt Meredith Grey place a hand on his arm.

"Addison looks happy." Meredith observed.

Derek smiled.

"She looks…flawless."

"Addison is in perfect condition for a pregnant woman in her thirties due to give birth in three days." Nancy added. She placed a kiss on a surprised Derek's cheek. "You don't look happy to see me."

"I am, I'm just…when did you get here, Nancy? Did you fly out alone?" he queried.

Nancy tucked a lock of her russet hair behind her ear.

"I've been in Seattle since Wednesday. Max, the kids and I, we came to be with Addie when she gives birth. We're staying with her, and trust me, I'm glad; Addison needed me around. She can barely get out of bed herself. And Lauren is already enamored with her new baby cousin."

"Wednesday?" Derek echoed. "Why didn't you tell me, Nancy? _I'm_ your brother. _I'm_ your family. It's just so typical of you to take Addison's side over mine. It's gone on from the moment she and I met. You choose to be her friend over being my sister."

"That's ridiculous, Derek! _You_ are my brother. Addie's my _best friend_. I've never been able to choose between you before, and I refuse to do it now. Addie and I have been friends for nineteen years and I love her like I love Kathleen, Maggie, and Erin. She's my sister, too, Derek. But I don't pick Addison over you. She genuinely needed me. Besides, you're living with your fiancée at _her_ place. With her roommates. Addison offered us a place to stay." Nancy sighed. "Let's not argue tonight. It's Christmas Eve. We can talk about this after Christmas."

Meredith and the pair of siblings watched as the head of Plastics broke up the conversation between Addison and Miranda Bailey, offered the former his hand- and when she accepted- moved with her effortlessly across the dance floor.

Addison rested her head against the solidly muscled chest of her six-foot-five companion.

"You look very handsome tonight." She said and truly meant it.

The man was undoubtedly attractive clad in a midnight blue, tailored Ermenegildo Zegna suit and matching button-down and tie.

A reply came in the form of a kiss pressed to Addison's temple.

The bells from St. James Cathedral sounded, calling the faithful to a special midnight service.

Ding! The first ring sounded clear as a summer's day.

Ding! Nancy walked over to her husband of fourteen years Max Breslin and held his hand as Max led her to the dance floor.

Ding! Izzie Stevens and George O'Malley gathered their coats and scurried off quickly to St. James.

Ding! Alex Karev and Callie chatted about a reconstructive plastic surgery involving bone grafts.

Ding! Preston Burke and Cristina Yang toasted with Erica Hahn and Mark Sloan.

Ding! Richard and Adele Webber talked with Derek and Meredith about their upcoming wedding.

Ding! And Addison's knees buckled and she collapsed against her world-renowned plastic surgeon date, grasping at his suit as a full-blown contraction shot through her.

* * *

The snowfall was now heavy. 

Addison smiled as she watched the white powder fall through the windows of the private delivery suite.

Nancy had administered an epidural moments before and the pain had lessened a bit.

The room was littered with family.

Nancy sat on a stool, peering through Addison's bent legs to check cervical dilation.

Max, Savvy and Weiss sat in the small couch in the far end of the room, whispering in exited tones.

Beside Addison, with a hand firmly entwined with hers, was her husband of eight weeks. The two shared a smile. He'd been hired as the head of Seattle Grace's plastic surgery department ten months prior much to the displeasure of Mark, but even Sloan himself knew he wasn't the same high caliber surgeon as his replacement.

Nancy gave Addison's knee a pat.

"You're at ten centimeters." She announced. "Let's get to the pushing."

* * *

As the snow lessened in the early evening of December 25th, 2007, Addison Forbes Montgomery looked around her hospital room. 

The small tree on the table was covered in blue tinsel, and the walls displayed indigo ribbon and handmade snowflakes signed by Nancy and Max's three children.

A tiny hand landed on her navy hospital-gown-covered breast and Addison smiled at the newborn swaddled in cerulean blankets resting against her chest.

The small bootie hanging above the mantle at home now lay on the nightstand, its side proclaiming the infant's name: Sam Walsh Janssen.

"Sam" in honor of her father-in-law.

"Walsh" in honor of her beloved father, who often preferred this middle name to his given name of "Cole". Walsh for her father whom Addison was sure had sent her this tiny angel in her arms just in time for midnight mass.

And with the snow falling- and the waiting room full of loved ones- Addison celebrated a blue Christmas.

End.


End file.
